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Well, now I understand why she didn’t think I’d go for it. This is strange. “Am I hearing this right? You want me, your boss, to pretend to be your girlfriend to your family?”
“No. I want you, Vega-who-totally-doesn’t-work-at-Augury-University.” One of Indigo’s eyebrows raises before she continues. “To pretend to be my girlfriend for my family so that I don’t have to listen to my parents go on about how perfect and amazing my little sister is and how I’m twenty-four with no international awards or even a partner.”
“It is perfectly acceptable for you to have zero awards and zero partners at twenty-four. Frankly, it is acceptable at any age. Why do you let them dull your shine?” I ask, not intending to let the last question slip from my lips. I don’t want to be harsh with her, but I’m struggling to understand how someone so brilliant could let such petty things get in the way of her happiness. It is her life, not her parents.
“Are your parents hard on you?” she asks, and suddenly I am at a loss for words. “...or were they?” she corrects.
“No, they were not. My mother was incredibly patient, and my father left the continent when I was barely an adult. They never pressured me to do anything I didn’t want to, so no, I don’t understand what it’s like for you. I will help you, little rabbit,” I offer. Selfishly, it’s more for me than it is for her, but she doesn’t need to know that.
“Really?” Her violet eyes light up like fireworks.
“I have nobody nearby to spend Gratefulness Week with anyway, so this works out in my favor. I’ll go on one holidate trip with you, and you’ll go on one with me, and then we can stop this madness and go back to being friends.”
“It’s a deal!” Indigo shouts, raising a hand to shake mine. “We’re going to need to leave Mond—” I grab the top of her sweatshirt and ball it with my fist, pulling her into a kiss. Her lips are soft as they melt against mine. I wish I could freeze time. I let go of her top and give my brain a second to reconfigure itself.
“I’ll see you Monday, holidate,” I say and wink, exiting the car.
What did I just sign myself up for?
six
INDIGO
The phonecontinuously rings as I try to reach Dahlia on the car ride home. She must be with her new boyfriend. I’m happy for her, but that doesn’t help me in this panic. My finger hovers over Alitha’s contact. I still haven’t decided if I’m going to tell her about this whole holidating thing. Alitha and Dahlia are my best friends, but Alitha is also my coworker; I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. We signed employment contracts, and we know the consequences. Alitha would want me to follow through with what I promised the university. She’s got strong values, even stronger than I do, and I respect that.
“I guess I can talk to myself out loud.” I look over at the car next to me, and there’s a blonde lady just staring… Nevermind, I can just keep my thoughts in my brain. That’s fine, too.
It drizzles, the gentle rain splashing against my windshield as I drive home. My plum purple bungalow is in the heart of Sunspell City, where most people on the island live. There are a select few who reside in the Illusionary Jungle, but I like the bit of separation this gives me between work and home. My house is a safe space for my own personal brand of clean chaos.
Momiji is in the backseat, a paintbrush in his mouth, as he works on his latest masterpiece. Sugar rabbits are notorious for being lazy, but, for a few hours a day, Momiji is like a kid in a candy store. He flies around rooms, white fluffy wings fluttering through the air, completing as many tasks as possible. It reminds me of when my mom would tell my sister and me that company was coming over and we’d rush to clean our rooms. That’s Momiji every night.
Pulling into the driveway, I park, open my door, my familiar following closely, and head into the house, locking my car behind me. There are crystals and magic books lining the shelves, all meticulously placed in color-coded order, just as I like it. I can’t remember if I locked my car, so I walk outside and click the button, hoping it’ll ease my anxiety. It does, but the relief is only temporary. Logically, I knew I had locked my car… or at least it was more than likely I did, but my brain won’t settle down until I make sure it’s certain. It’s frustrating, but it’s probably my brain’s way of protecting me.
I walk over to my sofa and flop onto it. Momiji flies to me with a blanket in his mouth, and we cuddle as I turn on the TV. There’s a streaming service dedicated to documentaries, and it’s my absolute favorite. I wonder what Vega’s favorite thing to watch is…
I won’t have these thoughts much longer. V is just a temporary distraction from the hard parts of my life, like my family, and once I get her out of my system, I’ll be able to let this go. On the bright side, Iris will lose her shit when she sees her. Someone hot who’s more interested in me than in her? That’ll be a first. I never wanted to play these games with my sister, but I’m not the one who started this.
I wanted to be a potions mage, but our mother pressured me into following in her footsteps instead. Iris knew this, and what did she do? Suddenly became interested in potions. We were just kids, so I forgave her–but she didn’t stop there. In high school, I liked an elf named Terranova, so what did Iris do this time? She went out with him. My life has been a series of steps that I’ve worked hard to climb, only for my younger sister to push me down on her way to the top. And the worst part of it all? I don’t think she cares. She’s so absorbed in herself, I’m not even sure she realizes how much she’s undermined me our entire lives.
The room is dark, and my eyes drift shut to the sound of a man from Europa describing bird migration patterns…
* * *
Dahlia stands in the middle of my living room, holding up two different brand-new lingerie sets from my drawer. One is a firetruck red bodysuit and completely crotchless, the other black and lace matching bra and underwear.
“Watson, you’ve gotta bring one of these,” she says, lifting the bodysuit a little higher.
“I’m pretty sure you bought me that one, and I love you, but it isnothappening.” I shake my head, walking back to my carry-on. We’re only going to be gone a week, but Dahlia is acting like I’m spending a month in Europa. I’m so proud of every woman, or person, who feels sexually confident… but that isn’t me. I like sex. I thinkI’m good at it, but talking about it and dressing up for it makes me feel so painfully awkward. Lingerie tips the awkward scale. No, thank you.
“Did you or did you not rent a condo for the two of you to stay in instead of staying with your parents because you, and I quote, ‘don’t need the folks hearing me get fingerbanged into oblivion,’ end of quote,” she teases.
I cross my arms. “You cannot get me wine drunk and then use my words against me!”
Dahlia sits on my couch, and Momiji flies over for pets. Traitor.
“Did you tell Alitha that you’re gonna fuck your boss again?”
I blow my bangs out of my face. “No, Torres, I did not. I don’t know how.”
